Montesano’s National Night Out Links Neighbors

national night out
Coordinated by Kim Lillegard and Shane Green, Montesano's National Night Out will take place on August 5 at Fleet Park.

 

By Chelsea Royer

grays harbor community hospitalIf you’re like me, you tend to think, “oh, that could never happen to me” when you hear of theft, kidnappings, drug abuse and the like …that is, until it happens close to home in our own neighborhood. When it does, there is often a sense of shock and of feeling ill-prepared – horror that something so violating could happen to us or people we know and love.

national night out
Shane Green, Lead Officer for the Montesano Police Department, stresses that National Night Out is a chance to interact with first responders in a positive environment.

National Night Out is “America’s Night Out Against Crime” and is a proactive way to fight crime in our own communities. National Night Out will be celebrated on August 5 in Montesano.

We rarely think about being proactive against crime outside of locking our doors and not leaving valuables in our parked cars. National Night Out is a chance to take a stance against crime and get to know your neighbors and local emergency response teams. This takes the form of “block parties” where neighbors meet each other, creating bonds to help recognize when something is out of place or if there is someone unknown hanging around.

Shane Green, Lead Officer of the Montesano Police Department says one of the best safety precautions you can take is to, “Know who your neighbors are.” Knowing who your friends are, being able to recognize something out of the ordinary and report suspicious activity is very basic crime prevention that will help increase quality of life in your area.

For some communities, this is commonly practiced. For others, there is a desperate need for camaraderie amongst neighbors. Montesano’s record clerk, Kim Lillegard, has been helping to organize a night out with a slightly different theme over the last five years. “I wanted people in our community to know the services that are available to them,” explains Lillegard. “Not just through the police department – by getting to know them and see their faces in a time where its not stressful – but I also wanted them to know the fire personnel and what they bring to the table.”

In an effort to make the National Night Out a community habit, Lillegard appointed Fleet Park as the community meeting place. Outside of crime prevention, the night out became a place for people to meet the many different faces of emergency response such as 911 representation, Beyond Survival, and the Crime Victim Advocacy Unit. “These organizations come because people don’t know what kinds of services are out there. This way, if you’re a victim or you need help, you will know who to contact,” says Lillegard.

This year, however, is the last year the National Night Out will be held in Fleet Park for a while. Lillegard explains, “We are trying to get the night out into the neighborhoods where it was designed to be.” The effort will be to get neighbors meeting together for a potluck or outdoor activity where local law enforcement and firefighters can swing by and allow people to get to know them in positive surroundings.

national night out
Coordinated by Kim Lillegard, Night Out will take place on August 5 at Fleet Park.

We often forget that law enforcement officers are here to help us, not just write us up for traffic infringements. Officers like Shane Green spend grueling hours patrolling streets, answering calls, providing quick response to criminal activity, and doing their best to cultivate safe towns. National Night Out is a good reminder to be in partnership with our local police force and that they are indeed on our side when it comes to preventing crime.

Officer Green, who has been with the Montesano Police Department since 1996, is one of the longest standing officers in his department. Landing his first law enforcement job at the age of 21, Green insists the career chose him more than he chose it. Having grown up next to a police officer, he loved contrasting the knowledge of what really happened to the rumors that went around town. After getting past the knowledge that being a police officer was a dangerous position, Green decided he really desired to be a part of the action. “A day on patrol is better than a day at the office any day,” says Green, whose job requires him to be on his toes at all times.. “It’s a problem solving type work environment. You always have goals of what you’re trying to fix, correct, or stop a certain kind of activity and that’s what makes the day go by so fast. You focus on a certain type of crime and once that’s wrapped up, there’s always something else.”

One of Officer Green’s favorite aspects of working in the town of Montesano, is that they are one of the few departments in the Harbor still able to do things like citizen assist. Whether that be helping people who have locked their keys in the car or problem solve their dog issues, there is community oriented policing they are fortunate to have the ability to maintain. With excellent support services and a great relationship with neighboring departments, the community, he feels, is unmatched for the area.

Building positive relationships with the community during non-conflict or stress-filled situations is important to the Montesano Department. Whether they are hosting a bike rodeo or planning for the National Night Out, our officers are set and ready to partner with the community to promote safety and prevent crime as a team.

The National Night Out for Montesano will be in Fleet Park on August 5. If you are interested in registering your neighborhood for next year’s event or wish to learn more, go to www.nationalnightout.org.